Choosing Window Glazing – GreenBuildingAdvisor – GWC Mag

If you are choosing windows for a new home, you have a lot of decisions to make. You’ll need to decide on the frame material (wood, vinyl, or fiberglass?) as well as the operational style (fixed, double-hung, slider, awning, or casement?). Not all manufacturers offer all options, so anyone seeking something unusual has to research the products of many different window manufacturers.

If you are a bewildered homeowner or builder, the easiest way to tackle these choices is to take a few small bites at a time. In this article, I’ll focus on glazing options.

Reviewing the basics

The last time I wrote a primer on glazing was in 2010, when GBA published All About Glazing Options. Most of the information in that article remains relevant today, so curious readers may want to start with that article.

In this article, I won’t attempt to repeat all of the basic information I presented in 2010; however, here are a few important bullet points: